Manoj Kumar, one of Bollywood¡¯s most celebrated actors, is no more. He died in Mumbai on April 4 due to a heart-related ailment. He was 87. The star was loved by many in the era gone by because of his unique mannerisms and charismatic personality. While everyone knows about his legacy, some may not remember that he once lashed out at Shah Rukh for ¡®insulting¡¯ him in Om Shanti Om (2007)
Shah Rukh Khan¡¯s Om Shanti Om featured a scene in which his character imitated Manoj Kumar by covering his face with his hands. This upset the Purab Aur Paschim actor, who threatened to file a lawsuit against the makers if the said scene was not removed. He again lost his cool when Om Shanti Om was released in Japan with the sequence intact. He then sued the makers and demanded Rs 100 crore in damages.
?According to Free Press Journal, Manoj Kumar¡¯s lawyer said that SRK personally apologised to the veteran actor over email after the controversy. However, despite this, the objectionable scene was retained in the version released in Japan.?
¡°The film was released in Japan without deleting those scenes. I had forgiven them twice, but not this time. They have disrespected me. They also face contempt of court as in 2008 the court had asked them to forever and from all prints and broadcast material, delete those scenes," Kumar had said.?
The veteran star eventually withdrew the case in 2013.?
Manoj Kumar, meanwhile, died on April 4. He had been battling health issues for a long time. He began his career with Fashion (1957) and soon emerged as a bankable star. His credits include Purab Aur Paschim, Upkar, and Kranti.